newsitems

The Bulgarian People gave a crystal-clear preference to Center-Right parties in the crucial National Elections of this Sunday, which gather, all in all, a Total of Votes much Bigger than an Absolute Majority of some 51 % against only about 40,8 % to the "Left" side of the Political spectrum, where the former "Socialist" party is again obliged to deal with a smaller pro-Turkish grouplet, (while, on the contrary, at the Right side, in addition to the maintainance of traditional Rightist parties, apparently emerge even some New small but fast growing Movements).

After initially winning at the 2009 Elections, Borisov's GERB Party already won, at the end of 2011,  also the Presidential Election with about 53% to 47% vis a vis the formerly governing "Socialist" party.

But, this time, the picture seems rather Complicated, and some last-minute "surprises" couldn't be excludedn even if they apparently should be of Minor nature, since the overall Popular preference for the Center-Right looks unquestionably much Stronger, (while the Participation reached a Majority of about + 51,5 % until 9 p.m.).

In particular :

Bulgarian Election: Center Right (GERB + Attaka) wins about 40% , while even a new Rightist Party (of "National Liberation") would reportedly be close to the threshhold  allowing to enter the Parliament for the 1st time, against only 36,4% for the Socialo-Turkish parties of the outgoing opposition, which had previously governed the country for a long time, until it fell into the 2009 Economic Crisis and Corruption scandals.
GERB Party comes clearly First with more than 31 %, while "Socialists" have only 27  %/, with probably some 98 against 75 MPs each.

"Attaka"s Nationalists and  the "Turkish" Minority party would result at about 7,5 %  to 9,7 %  or so, taking some 23 and 33 MPs respectively.

The New Rightist party NLB (which currently stands at about 3,8 %, i.e. close to the 4% threshhold) might hold a key to further developments, if its entry to the Parliament is confirmed, according to observers, while the "Left" apparently expects from last-minute .... "votes coming from Turkey" (sic !) to eventually alter this overall results...

As things stand until now, a possible formula might reportedly be for GERB (which means "Citizens for European Development") to form a Minoriyu Government with a deal for support by Attaka (and/or , eventually of the New Rightist Paty NLB) in the Parliament, (i.e. a kind of former "Dutch formula").

On the contrary, observers admit that it would be impossible for Attaka to stick to the Socialo-Turkish parties, mainly because it's notoriously Critic vis a vis Turkey's controversial policies.

But another serious problem is also the Astonishing fact that more almost 25%, i.e. 1 out of 4 Votes casted risk to stay without any Representation in the Parliament, because until now the official results don't give more than 4% (the rather High Threshhold for getting elected MPs) to anyone among the numerous New or old Other Parties to which many Bulgarian Citizens have Dispersed their votes..

However, a Detailed and concrete Analysis of all currently available results, (reportedly representing some 99,6% of the Total of Votes), clearly reveals that Most of those Dispersed Votes point towards Center Right up to Rightist new or old small Parties, resulting in an overall overwhelming Popular aspiration to have a new kind of Government at the Right side of the Political spectrum :

Thus, f.ex. the GERB and Attak groups could logically attract also the New "National Salvation" party, as well as the "Bulgarian National movement", the "Leader" party, and the "Order, Law and Justice"  party, resulting in more than the Absolute Majority of valid Votes casted :  + 50,17 %

(i.e. : 31% + 7,5% + 3,8 % + 2,92% + 1,9% + 1,76% + 1,71% +...). In fact, such a Majority of the Center-Right seems to be even Bigger than that, considering also some + 2% of more Votes casted for the "ChristianDemocratic" party, "Strong" and/or "Proud Bulgaria" a.o. small Nationalist parties, etc.

At the "Left" side, the former "Socialist" Party is obviously obliged to stick again with the Turkish lobby, and could attract Ms Kouneva's small "Movement of Bulgarian Citizens" party which didn't get any MP, arriving at less than 41 % only,  (i.e. 27,6% + 10% + 3,26 % = 40,86 %, ...etc).

Perhaps it might, eventually, be joined also by a few other, even smaller, non-represented parties, such as the "Greens", or "New Alternative", etc., which have hardly more than 1 % only.

The still remaining, Tiny, non-represented parties, who don't seem to have any clear political stance on the Left/Right Divide of the Political spectrum, (such as "Center", "Vox Populi", etc), don't represent but Negligeable variations of less than 2% or so, all in all, which obviously can't change the overall, general orientation, given the fact that the Total Difference between "Left" and "Right", as we already saw above, remains apparently more than + 10 % in favor of the Center-Right parties, led by Frontrunner GERB.

But, curiously, Final Results, (i.e. beyond the 99,6% already counted until today), are reportedly due for much Later this week, "on Thursday"...

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(Sources : Central Electoral Commission of Bulgaria, National, Foreign and International Press Agencies, Wikipedia, etc).

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Meanwhile, COE/OSCE Official Conclusions on the way that the Bulgarian Elections were organzed in practice, clearly appear mainly Positive :

In an official CoE Statement published later Today in Strasbourg, the competent Delegation of the PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, send by its Parliamentary Assembly to observe facts on the spot in cooperation with OSCE, and headed during the Vote by experienced Swiss MEP Andreas Gross (President of the Socialist Group), gave a "Green" Light to Sunday's Bulgarian Elections' process, by  stressing in conclusion that they were "Competitive and Well run".

- In particular, "fundamental Freedoms were respected, and the Administration of elections was well Managed". "The Campaign was Competitive and generally free of violence, and the caretaker government undertook several measures to hold Genuine elections". “Voters had a genuine Choice ....and the (Bulgarian) Authorities made real steps to uphold the Integrity of the election", so that "we have seen here ... Genuine efforts at holding democratic elections".

- The process was Well-administered by the Central Election Commission (CEC), which generally worked in an Open manner", while "the posting of CEC sessions on the Internet was a Welcome Transparency measure"  In addition, the "Election day took place in a Calm and orderly manner, with polling station Openings and Voting mostly assessed Positively... Tabulation, overall, was positive. The large Number of proxies and Observers present enhanced Transparency".

- Earlier, "the Media landscape during the campaign was Pluralistic", while "Public broadcasters and some private media granted contestants Free airtime on popular election-related programmes".

Finally, "the Legal framework for the elections generally provides a Sound basis ....when implemented properly", and several "Rrecommendations made by the OSCE... and the CoE were Adopted in recent amendments to the Electoral Code", they noted.
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- However, several People's "Trust in process is lacking", CoE/OSCE Observers noted among some Critical Remarks on particular points :

F.ex., "pervasive Allegations of vote-buying" "affected Negatively the campaign environment", while, earlier,  it "was overshadowed by a number of Incidents" :
Thus, "public Confidence in the process" was "weakened" by "Cases of Pre-election wiretapping and Concerns over last-minute incidents related to ballot security". While "the campaign was, at times,  negative, with some parties using Inflammatory and xenophobic rhetoric", observers found.

- "Eoghan Murphy, the Special Co-ordinator who led the Short-term OSCE observer mission", reportedly said that "scandals (?) and the recent discovery of additional ballot papers without proper explanation, Undermined people’s Faith in the political system and, more worryingly, made Them Question the process itself". “When you look at the misTrust that exists between political parties, and at the current economic difficulties, this is a negative development.”

- Precisely, “All those who have been Elected have to address" the fact that “Lack of public Confidence in the electoral process, and the alienation of too many Bulgarians from their public institutions; remains a matter of concern,” said Andreas Gross, the head of the delegation from CoE's Assembly, (which appeared, generally, rather more satisfied than OSCE, but pointed at the need "to overcome the social and political crisis with which the Bulgarian people are confronted").

F. ex., to "improve Transparency", the CEC should be "providing more Information on the times of all of its Sessions, and the Basis for its Decisions", using also ""Legal provisions on campaign Financing", while "there were some concerns expressed about the independence of Lower election commissions", since "the Counting of ballots was more Problematic in a number of cases", observers noted.

Meanwhile, "Media ownership lacks transparency" : F.ex. "a significant share of the campaign information had to be Paid for, creating a playing field for candidates that was Not level and Limiting the public media’s role in providing voters with a broad range of information. Paid campaign information was not always clearly labelled as such, potentially Misleading voters about the sources of election-related messages".

So that, "in order to restore the Trust of Bulgarian citizens, ... the cycle of Impunity must be broken"  on some "serious violations during this campaign", which "have to be thoroughly Investigated and those responsible prosecuted,” reportedly added Miklós Haraszti, the Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Long-term election observation mission.

=> In conclusion, the Head of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegation, Roberto Battelli, reminded, as  a matter of General Principle, that : - "In many Countries we see systematic attacks on the credibility of the democratic institution of elections", while, in fact,  "it is only through Democratic institutions that social, Economic and Political Changes can be addressed effectively

*Strasbourg/"Notre Dame" Cathedral/- From Freedom of Speech and Personal Liberty, up to Franco-German integration, as well as Historic Links between Mariage and Children even from the Enlightnement era thanks to a Polish Princess, including hints towards Ecology and the need to respect the Human Embryo from abuse, etc., issues of topical European interest were astonishingly present in a Poetic form at Strasbourg cathedral's participation to the 5th year of a special "Night", which spreads today across more than 28 Cathedrals,  throughout Luxembourg, Belgium (Liège), Monaco, France and Germany (Trier), etc., among participating EU Countries.-

     Starting by singing "Freedom of Expression", a favorite Alsacian song in French and Deutsch , followed by an original Mix of the French and German National Anthems takenTogether, and concluding with the World famous Religious song "Amazing Grace", (an Hymn written by English Poet and fighter for the Abolition of Slavery during the Enlightenment , John Newton),  Alsacian singer Virginie Schaeffer artfuly opened a Threefold Horizon for the 2013 European "Night of Cathedrals" in Strasbourg, full of Thousands of People, cited and standing.

    I.e. where was celebrated, at the start of that same "Century of Enlightenment" on 1725, the Mariage of a French King to a Polish Princess, with vital links to the Birth of Children, since initial fears that the frail Young King Louis XV "the Beloved" might die, led to search among 99 European princesses  the best suited, Morally and Physically, to become a Mother to a Heir : The Daughter of Polish King Stanislas (brought earlier to the throne with Sweden's support), resulting to many Children and one of the Longest Reigns : from 1715 up to 1774, almost 60 years ! An Historic event with Topical symbolism, on which the experienced Chancelor of Strasbourg's Archibichopric,  Chanoine Bernard Xibaut, gave an unusual analysis.

    A Soul was given by the moving long Cry of Armenian singer Anna Avetisyan, words being useless in front of the unspeakable Barbary of the 1st Genocide in Modern Times, committed by the Ottoman -Turc regime at the beginning of the 20th Century, which notoriously inspired the NAZI holocausts and other Mass Criminals, just a few days after celebrating its 98th Anniversary, when survivants' succesors asked Truth and Justice for a sustainable Reconciliation in the Future, denouncing the Negationism which still keeps almost all those Responsible for Horrible Crimes and/or still exploiting its results, totally unpunished, even almost 1 Century after the facts, while Armenia soon takes over CoE's Presidency from May to November 2013.

    Handy Digital High-Tech and Internet Technologies at the service of Audio-Visual Documentaries on Strasbourg Cathedral's majestic Architecture and History, preceded by Organ and Flute Music, etc., as well as Tasty Chocolate distributed with bumpy Rock Music, didn't make People forget the Need, for many of them, to search how to cope with  ("joindre les 2 bouts", in French) a prolonged Economic Crisis, as a Predistigateur playing with words reminded them, at the same time that a delicious "Medieval Soup" served at the entrance became too Popular...   

     But tonight's Dream was a "Surprise" whose Secret was carefuly preserved for the Conclusion :  The Culminating point of an Artistic Synthesis made out of Dances, Lights, Music and Poems, wasn't only the Sudden, unexpected emergence, out of the blue Night,  of ...a White Horse, guided by a young Peasant Girl (while in the Past "only Emperors" had the Privilege to enter inside Cathedrals in a Horse-ride), but even of an amazing, Science-Fiction like, huge Transparent Bulb, reminding a Crystal Ball, which contained another young girl inside, who guided it by slowly dancing towards the Sanctuary (Altar), where it "melted" finaly into a Group of Dancers. Accompagnied by Psalms focusing on Creation and Nature, all this inevitably evoked  the Development of a Human Embryon, (named "One of Us" in the EU Citizens' Initiative on BioEthics against Risks of Genetic Manipulations or massive Abortions, etc., also reminding Arthur Clark/Stanley Kubrick's Space Odyssee final image).

I.e. obviously close to the Ideas of "Human Ecology", developed particularly by Pope emeritus Benedict up to his Last "Prayer intention for March" 2013 to ask that "respect for Nature may grow, with the Awareness that all Creation is God's work entrusted to Human Responsibility", while New Pope Francis decided to highlight as integral part of the Symbol in his chosen Name : A reference to Saint Francis of Assisi, (who has been declared by late Pope John-Paul II as "patron of Ecology" since 1979, including Environment, Plants, Animals, etc.), pleading for a "profound respect for the entire Creation and the protection of our Environment", as he stressed from the outset, since the 1st week of his election, both to the Press and to Ambassadors at the Vatican, (16 - 22 March 2013).

Curiously, however, a landmark Icon which includes a symbol alike to the European Flag over Strasbourg Cathedral's Sanctuary, appeared overlooked or forgotten tonight by the selective but superb Light-beams prepared for this special 2013 event. Nevertheless, the Head Priest, Michel Wackenheim, topically reminded the 2015 Rendez-vous on the over-Millenary Anniversary of Strasbourg Cathedral's Foundations, just after crucial 2014 EU Parliament Elections...

 http://youtu.be/Q5NePHkFo6k

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*Strasbourg/ACM/- C'est à la veille d'un ensemble sans précedent de Manifestations portant des Protestations Populaires Morales, Sociales, Economiques et même Ecologiques organisées demain à Paris, qu'un millier de Manifestants opposés à l' imposition impopulaire (selon tous les sondages) du "Marriage" Gay  avec Adoption" d' Enfants par Homosexuels, ont exprimé leur réfus d'admettre la "Marchandisation des Femmes et des Enfants", de maniere qui ouvre aussi des débats Européens, voire Internationaux (v. infra).

Ils démandent, par contre, "des Emplois" et des "Débats Publics" préalables à pareilles décisions qui risquent de bouleverser la Société en sabordant la Famille Naturelle qui a plusieurs Millions d' Années dans l' Histoire de l'Humanité.

Leur mouvement a été rendu conscient du fait qu' avant sa promulgation, le récent texte législatif doit encore être controlé par le Conseil Constitutionel, et probablement aussi par diverses instances Européennes, de Luxembourg à Strasbourg, voire Internationales, à Genève, etc..

Mais, encore que, seulement quelques mois avant des Elections Municipales de mars 2014, elles s'annoncent politiquement "orageuses" pour les Maires qui accepteraient à célebrer de tels "marriages" entre Homoeweuels, (Strasbourg y compris, selon certaines nouvelles d'aujourd'hui), qui ménacent, à leurs yeux, non seulement de provoquer des dérives pratiquement inévitables vers divers "Traffics d' Enfants" pour "Adoptions" massives par plusieurs Milliers de "couples" Homosexuels, risquant de bouleverser aussi la personalité fragile des Enfants obligés à subir un tel sort, mais aiussi de renrdre à l'avenir fatale la reconnaissance même des "Mères Porteuses" et des "Naissances Médicalement Assistées", (avec Fertilisations in Vitro, Tests Prénatals, Banques d' Embryons, Ventes de Sperme et/ou des Ovaires, etc), qui provoqueraient une soumiission sans précedent de la Procréation de Persones Humaines à quelques Technocrates, (sans aucun Débat Public, le CESE ayant même rejetté une Pétition signée par plus de 700.000 Citoyens démandant une Consultation transparente).

Ce qui ménacerait, d"évidence, à rafistoler une Mixture socialement "Explosive" s'il s'ajouterait bientôt aussi à un autre Projet de Loi, encore plus controversé en BioEthique en Europe, en Amérique et au Monde, qui est actuellement en gestation en France, par une procédure parallèle, qui cherche à imposer un droit de certains Lobbies qui se servent de Labos de Recherches Scientifico-Technologiques, publics et privés, à procéder à des Manipulations Génétiques d' Embryons Humains : Une mésure qui n'a même pas été inscrite dans la Liste des 61 promesses Electorales du nouveau Président Socialiste M. Hollande, mais qui lui avait été manifestement suggeré lors d'une de ses visites à une "Genopole" à Evry, sans aucun Débat Public lors des Elections  présidentielles et législatives de 2012, pendant lesquelles la plupart des votants ne pouraient même pas savoir l' existence (et encore moins le contenu précis) d'une telle, simple declaration orale...

Ainsi, les manifestants ont largement applaudi le Directeur du Centre Européen pour le Droit et la Justice, Gregor Puppinck, lorsqu'il a voulu marquer le fait que, contre quelques apparences trompeuses, ce mouvement populaire n'est, en réalité, que seulement "au Milieu du Chémin", par rapport à ces objectifs initiaux : I.e. de protéger la Société, et, surtout, les personnes, enfants, mères et Familles "les plus Fragiles", de telles mésures jugées nocives et anti-démocratiques par les protestataires qui ont manifestement réussi à capter l'attention de plusieurs Familles naturelles et à motiver des nombreux Jeunes gens pour des questions Morales affectant toute la Société, comme tous les derniers évenements à Paris et diverses autres villes françaises indiquent clairement entre janvier et mai 2013, génerant ce que certains se sont depechés d'appeler, à tort ou à raison, le "Printemps français".

Avec un clin d'oeil desormais clairement révendiqué au "Mai 1968", le Mouvement Populaire inspiré par les idées qu'on a appelé "Ecologie Humaine", déjà dépuis la réussite de la Manifestation-géante de plusieurs Centaines de Milliers de gens, (entre 400.000 et 800.000, voire 1 Million, selon diverses estimations, janvier dernier au Champ de Mars, près de la Tour Eiffel à Paris, apparement dépassé par celui de mars 2013  : près de 1 Milion 200 mille selon les organisateurs, à l' Arc de Triomphe), en reprennant une idée initialement promue par le Pape émerite Bénoit pour toute l'Europe, suite à son discours magistral au Bundestag à Berlin, septembre 2011, (en osmose avec les constats critiques faits par "EuroFora" aux Congrès Nationaux des Partis ChrétienDémocrate et des "Verts" en Allemagne, aux villes voisines de Karlsruhe et Freiburg, novembre et décembre 2010 : Comp. "NewsReports" : ...), qu'il a d'ailleurs laissé comme une sorte d' heritage spirituelle lors de son départ en retraire de Fevrier 2013, apparamment acceptée et développée davantage, plus récemment, par le nouveau Pape Francois, grace à des declarations publiques sur le bésoin de protéger toute la Création de la Nature, aussi bien Environementale que Humaine.

Car le point le plus intéressant, cette veille des 2 differentes Manifestations à Paris, organisées demain, Dimanche 5 mai 2013,  exceptionellement en même temps par les opposants à l' imposition des "Marriages Gays" et "Adoptions" d' Enfants par Homosexuels, etc. (v. Supra), et par les Euro-Députés Melenchon (du "Front de la Gauche"), ensemble avec Eva Joly, (tous les deux ex-Candidats à l' Election Présidentielle de 2012), est manifestement la question cruciale à savoir si les eaux des rivières des Mouvements Populaires luttant pour des valeurs de BioEthique, d' Ecologie et/ou Sociales, vont réussir, ou pas, à commencer de s' orienter vers un grand Fleuve commun à l' Avenir.

A cet égard, ce n'est, peut-être, pas par hasard, si cette Manifestation de Strasbourg, (la 1ère à réunir aussi des representants de Bale Suisse jusqu' à la Lorrainen etc. et à commencer à prendre une signification Européenne : V. Supra), même si elle avait commencé prêt du "Quartier Européen" de la ville, (à la Place Bordeaux, vers le Parlément Européen et la Cour des Droits de l'Homme, Conseil de l'Europe, etc), elle a  été organisée d'avance, en accord avec la Police, pour aboutir vers la spectaculaire Place de ... la Gare, pratiquement ménant vers Paris +...

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But the main call of Tymoshenko's lawyer, anounced to all journalists at ECHR in Strasbourg, including "EuroFora", was for the immediate release of the Ukranian opposition leader, without delaying things by an eventual application for a Review to ECHR's Great Chamber, and to "stop using (National Courts) for political motivations", "as the only way to fully implement the (European) Court's judgement", particularly since his client was the main political competitor with a real chance to win at the national elections, as he added.

However, ECHR droped Tymoschenko's additional complaint about inhuman and degrading treatments inside the Ukranian prison, mainly because she had refused a precise Medical Examination, even if it was acknowledged that she apparently had to face some harsh conditions of detention, as it results from an ECHR chamber's decision taken by a Slim Majority of only 3 against 4 EuroJudges, (ECHR's President, Spielman, having voted for the recognition of such a Violation of the European Convention on Human Rights' Article 3).

At any case, ECHR currently prepares also a 2nd Judgement on the substantial aspects of Tymoshenko's 2011 controversial condemnation by the Ukranian Courts, which may be taken and published at any moment in the Future, on the exact Timing on which "I can't give you any indication", because "that's another" issue, even if, according to the average period of Time usually spend in such kind of affairs, "it might take another Year" or so, (i.e. a little bit earlier of later), said to "EuroFora" the experienced ECHR's Spokesman, Director of General Services, Rodderick Liddel. (I.e. welll before the next Presidential Elections in Ukraine, scheduled for 2015).

The move ECHR move comes shortly after President Janukovitch has just "pardoned" 2 other opposition politicians, former Ministers also condemned by national Courts earlier, in a decision officially "welcomed" by the CoE and EU, even if he claimed that something similar wouldn't be possible for Tymoshenko because of additional accusations pending in National Courts, while an important EU - Ukrania Summit is due to make crucial choices on the European orientation of the country during the Autumn of this year (2013).

(.../...)

(Comp., for earlier NewsReport including original/exclusive Statements to "EuroFora" also from Yulia Tymoshenko's daughter, Eygenia, as well as of the Lawyers representing the appliquant or the Government, just after the August 2012 ECHR Hearing: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/echrandeumovesontymoshenko .html )

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["FlashNews" due to be updated asap.]

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